BIG EVENT LATESTMAN of the moment Tai Woffinden is determined to erase the memories of recent British Final heartaches when he makes his latest bid for the title on May 13.Woffinden, who finished fourth in the recent European Grand Prix, is yet to secure the national crown but swept to an imperious 15-point maximum in his semi-final at Sheffield last week to ease into the Final on his home Wolverhampton circuit.Scott Nicholls and Chris Harris, who have dominated the event in recent years, also came through their respective semi-finals, although seven-time Champion Nicholls had a scare at Owlerton before securing an automatic qualifying place in his last ride.Incredibly, Nicholls and Harris have won ten of the last eleven Finals between them, with Woffinden having to be content with third place in each of the last two seasons.Speaking after the semi-final, Woffinden said: It was another good night for me. I made some good starts and some bad starts but I had plenty of speed all night so managed ended unbeaten which was great.Im really happy to have booked my place in the Final and I'm looking forward to trying to finally win it. It's been tough losing out the way I have in the last couple of years, so I would love to take the title this time around.Ive got plenty of meetings to do before then so hopefully I can keep my good form going until then.Ben Barker and Simon Stead were awarded the Wild Card places for the Monmore showpiece after Stead missed his semi-final due to injury and Barker had to pull out after three rides due to a wrist complaint.Management Committee member David Hoggart said: Ben and Simon are two riders who, prior to the semi-finals, we would have expected to go safety through. Circumstances prevented that, and therefore its only right that they should take their places in the British Final.As far as Ben is concerned, he took a nasty knock when he collided with the fence in Heat 1 and tried to continue in the meeting despite being in a lot of pain. He was very brave and we wanted to reward his determination in trying to succeed with a spot in the British Final which he thoroughly deserves.With Simon, obviously due to my own Sheffield connection I have respected the opinions of other members of the Management Committee, and they have voted for Simon to take his place.QUALIFIED FROM EDINBURGH: Danny King (Birmingham), Craig Cook (Belle Vue/Edinburgh), Edward Kennett (Swindon), Chris Harris (Birmingham), Richie Worrall (Kings Lynn/Newcastle), Stuart Robson (Coventry/Newcastle), James Wright (Glasgow). QUALIFIED FROM SHEFFIELD: Tai Woffinden (Wolverhampton), Josh Auty (Birmingham/Scunthorpe), Olly Allen (Coventry/Rye House), Richard Hall (Sheffield), Ashley Birks (Swindon/Scunthorpe), Chris Schramm (Plymouth), Scott Nicholls (Coventry).WILD CARDS: Ben Barker (Birmingham/Ipswich), Simon Stead (Kings Lynn/Sheffield).
SPEEDWAYGB EVENTS SERIES 2013BRITISH UNDER-21 FINAL: ROBERT BRANFORDBRITISH FINAL: Wolverhampton, May 13PREMIER LEAGUE PAIRS: Somerset, May 31PREMIER LEAGUE FOURS: Peterborough, July 14PREMIER LEAGUE RIDERS CHAMPIONSHIP: Sheffield, Sept 22ELITE LEAGUE RIDERS CHAMPIONSHIP: Swindon, Oct 12NATIONAL LEAGUE MAJOR EVENTS:NATIONAL LEAGUE PAIRS: Mildenhall, June 30NATIONAL LEAGUE FOURS: Stoke, August 18NATIONAL LEAGUE RIDERS CHAMPIONSHIP: Rye House, Sept 21BRITISH SPEEDWAY FIM EVENT DATES:WORLD UNDER-21 CHAMPIONSHIP Round 3: Berwick, August 10GRAND PRIX CHALLENGE: Poole, August 24
ELITE LEAGUE LATEST
BELLE VUE boss Jason Attwood is impressed with the role Slovenian star Matej Zagar is playing at No.1 for the Aces, who gained a shock away win at Peterborough last Friday.Attwood said: Matej has fitted in well with the team. It is good having a rider at No 1 who can take on the top guys in the opposing teams.But thats no good if the rest of the team arent giving him the right kind of support and that is what we have done. It has been my policy to build a real team spirit and, while it is still early days, we have turned in the kind of team performances I want.BIRMINGHAM promoter Graham Drury is contemplating a change in riding order for the Brummies return to action next weekdespite seeing his side run up a 56-point total against Lakeside.Drury said: I think we need Jason (Doyle) towards the end of a match but this is when the No.2 rider has used up all of their rides. So we will definitely be moving him out of that riding position and then were left with a jigsaw to decide who to replace him with.I made it clear last season that I felt the engine room of the team was the partnership we had between Danny King and Ben Barker and this is another great option we have open to us.COVENTRY promoter Mick Horton admitted he was at a loss to explain the Bees televised horror-show at home to Wolverhampton, when they crashed to a 31-59 defeat.Horton said: All I can do is apologise to the fans who turned out tonight. I think thats probably the worst performance Ive seen from a team in Coventry colours, and live on television as well. Its devastating.All you can do is try to keep spirits up. We have to dig in and hope we can pull out a win from the next meeting against Lakeside, but really everyone is lost for words at the moment.EASTBOURNE boss Trevor Geer feels some criticism of his side last week had the desired effect as they bounced back to score a point at Swindon and then take all three from Saturdays home clash with Poole.Geer said: After the match at Wolverhampton we were left with a lot of questions; however the performances both at Swindon and here against the Pirates have provided many of the answers. It has ended up being a good week. I think Wolverhampton was a wake up call with the riders worried about their team places. They have turned things around and come good, being the first team to pick up a point from Swindon and with a win over Poole.KINGS LYNN have replaced Nicolai Klindt after a disappointing run of recent results, with former Star David Howe coming into their side on a doubling-up basis.Team boss Rob Lyon said: We have made a change for the benefit of the team. Nicolai is suffering with form and confidence at the moment and we felt for the benefit of the team he needed some time to get himself sorted and get back on track.In the meantime we welcome David back into the side which he served so well last year before injury took its toll last and ended his season early.LAKESIDE are expecting to see the return of skipper Davey Watt in their next fixture away at Coventry on Bank Holiday Monday.Watt was missing from the Hammers impressive home win over Kings Lynn last week due to a wrist injury, with the Purfleet club then beaten 38-56 at Birmingham 24-hours later. PETERBOROUGH boss Jan Staechmann admits last Fridays home defeat to Belle Vue came as a huge setback to the Showground club.Staechmann said: At the end of the day, this is a business for the promotion, and we should be winning at home, so its not good enough. Being twelve points down after three heats at home was mesmerising in itself, but we pulled it back and looking at the programme I dont think theres a lot I could have done differently.Everyone has had a fair crack of the whip and there have been a lot of improvements, but there have also been a few non-improvements, and well have to see what we can come up with.POOLE promoter Matt Ford is calling on his team to deliver consistent performances to restore Pirates to their more accustomed position in the higher echelons of the Elite League table.Ford said: What is needed is a far more attacking performance than we managed at Eastbourne last Saturday. I accept we were a little bit patched up in Sussex, but we need to deliver to the level that we know we are capableand sooner rather than later.It is no fun being in the lower part of the table. We should be up challenging the likes of Wolverhampton and Kings Lynn, starting on Wednesday.SWINDON will be without skipper Hans Andersen for their trip to Kings Lynn on Wednesday due to a UEM meeting in Debrecen, but the Dane will return for Thursdays return fixture.Co-promoter Gary Patchett said: Its a major blow to be without Hans for such a difficult trip to Kings Lynn who are a fine side, particularly around their own track.Its a big week for us with the home meeting against Kings Lynn on Thursday which should be a brilliant night and we need to keep picking up the points.WOLVERHAMPTON promoter Chris Van Staaten admitted the margin of his sides 59-31 victory at Coventry on Monday came as a surpriseeven bearing in mind their recent form.Van Straaten said: We were sensing victory because of the way we have started the season, but we never expected victory to this extent.All the riders again played a part, and the spirit in the pits is quite remarkable. I know that tends to come with winning sides, but its still playing a major part at the moment.PREMIER LEAGUE LATEST
BERWICK opened their Premier League campaign with a 51-42 home win over Sheffield to take maximum points from the meeting.Manager Ian Rae said: Tonight was an indication that the lads are on the up and it was a far better performance than of late. If we now build on this our results will start to improve steadily and we can make that charge on the league we need to.EDINBURGH promoter John Campbell has given his backing to Australian teenager Max Fricke as he looks to adapt to British speedway from a top-five berth with the Monarchs.Campbell said: Max is progressing in exactly the manner I believed he would. I always said he would not be an instant success, but its the last couple of months of the season that really matter. I have no worries about him at all.GLASGOW skipper Joe Screen was in vintage form for the Tigers in their home win over Redcar on Sunday, scoring a 15-point maximum in the 48-42 victory at Ashfield.Screen said: Ive been injured all year, from day one at Edinburgh, but I felt good. The bike worked well and I felt good on the bike.IPSWICH take a break from league racing this week when they stage the popular Star of Anglia individual event with a strong line-up at Foxhall on Thursday.The meeting originated in 1979 with a win for current Ipswich co-promoter John Louis, with his son Chris added to the victors roll of honour some ten years later.LEICESTER have added British Under-21 Champion Robert Branford to their squad, and he will make his first Lions appearance at Somerset on Friday.Manager Glyn Taylor said: Ever since we allowed Lewis Kerr to sign for Newcastle we have kept a watchful eye on emerging talent and Robert fits the bill. His presence will generate competition within our team.NEWCASTLE boss George English was left to reflect on an unusual home meeting on Sunday as the Diamonds booked their place in the Knockout Cup quarter-finals with an aggregate win over Plymouthin a meeting curtailed three heats early due to a downpour.English said: The rain was heavy and whilst not long-lasting made the top surface very greasy and both teams agreed to call it a day, but we got our just deserts for racing two good legs and we now look forward to the quarter final. It was very much a one-off night with the call-off, a delay for sunshine and a dead heat (between Ludvig Lindgren and Mark Lemon) - you dont get many nights like that at the speedway!PLYMOUTH are planning a training session involving some of their current team members and other unattached rides at the St Boniface Arena this Friday, as the Devils are without a home meeting.Co-promoter Ashley Taylor said: This Friday was deliberately left blank in case any of our three League Cup matches were postponed. That was to ensure the group stage of the competition was completed on time. Fortunately, we did not have any problems with the weather, but that meant we were left without a meeting this week.REDCAR boss Jitendra Duffill is looking for the Bears to produce a full 15-heat performance against Sheffield this week rather than being forced into a comeback effort.Duffill said: We have enjoyed some exciting last-gasp victories at the Motorpark in various competitions during the past weeks. Instead of giving away a lead and then storming through it would help my heart if we could actually establish a lead and then hold it.RYE HOUSE will welcome the USA Tourists to Hoddesdon on Saturday in a unique California-influenced Handicap event.The American Invasion Handicap will apply the same starting handicap to a given rider in each of his 20 main programmed heats, ensuring that the leading lightsincluding Rockets stars Jason Garrity and Tyson Nelson - begin each of their rides at the back for the ultimate level playing field.SCUNTHORPE promoter Rob Godfrey feels there is plenty more to come from the reigning Premier League Champions this season, following their early exit from the League Cup.Godfrey said: The season hasnt kicked off as we would have liked it to. But theres a long way to go. Our top five is as strong as anyone in the leagueour vulnerability is at reserve. We lost Gary Irving to retirement around a month before the season. Ryan Douglas and Josh Bates are giving it their all.SHEFFIELD have been left relieved by the news that Richard Hall did not suffer any broken bones in his pile-up at Berwick on Saturdayalthough he did suffer a badly dislocated shoulder.Tigers co-boss David Hoggart said: Hes spoken to Steady about using the same physio that got Simon back within a week and hell do everything he can to come back as quick as possible. Richard is targeting the British Final (May 13) but hes such a tough lad, Im sure hes itching to get back racing with the Tigers.SOMERSET boss Garry May admits the Rebels will have to keep an eye on the remaining results in their League Cup group before they discover whether their ten-point total will be enough to top the group.May said: Such is the nature of our group that it is still possible for any one of the four teams to finish as winners and claim that semi-final berth, there being almost as many combinations of possible outcomes as there are combinations of what six numbers will come up in the National Lottery!WORKINGTON boss Tony Jackson hailed his teams effort in pulling back a 20-point first leg deficit to overcome Ipswich in the Knockout Cup at Derwent Park.Jackson said: What we saw on Saturday night was something really special. Everyone was really fired up to do a job, which a few people thought was possibly too much to pull back, but they pulled it back with points to spare. We had the belief and team spirit that we could do the job and everyone just kept encouraging each other all evening and we got there.
FIXTURE PICTURE
WEDNESDAY MAY 1:SKY SPORTS ELITE LEAGUE: Kings Lynn v Swindon 7.30, Poole v Eastbourne 7.30
THURSDAY MAY 2:SKY SPORTS ELITE LEAGUE: Swindon v Kings Lynn 7.30PREMIER LEAGUE: Sheffield v Redcar 7.45STAR OF ANGLIA: Ipswich 7.30
FRIDAY MAY 3:PREMIER LEAGUE: Edinburgh v Scunthorpe 7.30, Redcar v Sheffield 7.30, Somerset v Leicester 7.30CHALLENGE: Kings Lynn v USA Dream Team 7.30
SATURDAY MAY 4:PREMIER LEAGUE: Berwick v Workington 7pmHANDICAP INDIVIDUAL: Rye House 7pmCHALLENGE: Stoke v Isle of Wight 7pmBRITISH YOUTH CHAMPIONSHIP Round 1: Leicester 5.30
SUNDAY MAY 5:PREMIER LEAGUE: Glasgow v Newcastle 3pmCHALLENGE: Buxton v USA Dream Team 3pm
MONDAY MAY 6:SKY SPORTS ELITE LEAGUE: Coventry v Lakeside 7.30, Wolverhampton v Kings Lynn 7.30PREMIER LEAGUE: Ipswich v Leicester 2.30, Newcastle v Glasgow 6.30, Scunthorpe v Edinburgh 3pm, Workington v Berwick 7pmCHALLENGE: Kent v American Internationals 3pm
TUESDAY MAY 7:NATIONAL TROPHY: Isle of Wight v Buxton 7pm
WEDNESDAY MAY 8:SKY SPORTS ELITE LEAGUE: Birmingham v Eastbourne 7.30, Poole v Lakeside 7.30NATIONAL LEAGUE: Kings Lynn v Coventry 7.30
THURSDAY MAY 9:SKY SPORTS ELITE LEAGUE: Peterborough v Poole 7.30, Swindon v Belle Vue 7.30PREMIER LEAGUE: Redcar v Rye House 7.30
FRIDAY MAY 10:SKY SPORTS ELITE LEAGUE: Coventry v Eastbourne 8pm, Lakeside v Peterborough 8pmPREMIER LEAGUE: Plymouth v Scunthorpe 7.15, Somerset v Sheffield 7.30LEAGUE CUP: Edinburgh v Glasgow 7.30
SATURDAY MAY 11:SKY SPORTS ELITE LEAGUE: Eastbourne v Coventry 7.30PREMIER LEAGUE: Berwick v Leicester 7pmPREMIER LEAGUE KO CUP Q/F 1st leg: Rye House v Sheffield 7pm
SUNDAY MAY 12:PREMIER LEAGUE: Glasgow v Scunthorpe 3pm, Leicester v Ipswich 6pmLEAGUE CUP: Newcastle v Redcar 6.30NATIONAL TROPHY: Mildenhall v Buxton 4.30, Stoke v Kent 6pmMONDAY MAY 13:BRITISH FINAL: Wolverhampton 7.30NATIONAL TROPHY: Kent v Isle of Wight 6.30
TUESDAY MAY 14:NATIONAL TROPHY: Isle of Wight v Mildenhall 7pm
WEDNESDAY MAY 15:SKY SPORTS ELITE LEAGUE: Kings Lynn v Poole 7.30
